1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to an interface module connected to a printing device that is shared by a plurality of users (host devices), to a printing device, a program, and a printer maintenance method.
2. Description of Related Art
Printing devices (printers) are commonly connected to a network so that a single printer can be shared by a plurality of users as taught, for example, in JP-A-2004-220192. Enabling multiple users to print information (print data) using a single printer reduces the amount of space that would be needed to provide a separate printer for each user, and thus also reduces printer cost.
Allocating maintenance costs (such as the cost for consumables such as ink and paper, and the cost for mechanical components (replaceable parts) such as the paper cutter, motors, gears, and paper transportation rollers) for such printers to each user based on each user's actual printer use is not possible, however, because how much each user has actually used the printer is unknown.
To solve this problem, the present invention provides an interface module that is connected to a printer shared by multiple users and enables allocating printer maintenance costs to each user based on their actual use of the printer, and provides a printing device, a program, and a printer maintenance method.